Most businesses believe in the saying, “the customer is always right”. And for good reason. They are the driving force behind your revenue and profit. They are so important that business schools have dedicated courses on consumer behavior.
So why are customers always right?
Happy customers are most likely returning customers. Companies take the time to get to know their customers, from their demographics to what their needs are. It’s hard to stand out in a saturated market, but the best way to do so is through excellent customer service.
Outstanding customer service gains loyal customers, who most likely will become promoters of the business. Remember that every customer has family and friends who can be persuaded to get your services upon hearing a good review.
So how can you improve your own customer service? There are many ways to do so.
Learn to empathize
The ability to understand how someone is feeling is called empathy. It may seem like some people just know how to empathize, but this is a skill that can be learned. When you listen to a customer’s concerns, may it be in person or through a phone call, listen and understand their pain points. Put yourself in their shoes and identify the ways their problem can be resolved. And don’t just give them a bunch of how-to manuals, guide them through the steps until the issue is fixed.
Make a follow-up after a few days to check on them. This shows a sincere concern on your part and will go well with your clients. Rest assured that the next time they need help, you’ll be the first one they’ll call.
Be Accessible and Easy to Reach
The most annoying experience for a customer is calling you and waiting too long to connect because your line is always busy. Or they’re put on hold because no one is available to take their call. If your business expects more customer interface, then you should have enough people to handle several calls at once.
At the same time, your customer relationship team must have adequate means to touch base with their clients. A small business like yours can benefit from installing a VOIP phone system. Your marketing or sales team can easily make calls to anywhere in the country and you won’t rake up thousands in charges.
Your website is also another channel for customer interaction. Review its current design and make sure it’s easy to navigate and visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. Have a quick link to your social media accounts so they can follow you and send inquiries through online chat or messenger.
Be diligent enough to accommodate your customers’ questions and inquiries as soon as you can, like responding to emails within 24 hours. Being accessible and responsive show you care and value your customers.
Create a personalized experience
One of the best ways to create a personalized experience for the customers is offering a loyalty program The program should offer value and benefits that will excite and engage the customer.
The little things also matter. Address customers by their names and personalize messages you send them. Marketers share that this kind of service helps improve your relationship with the customers.
Offer a painless refund process
Sometimes, the customer just isn’t pleased with the service or needs to return an item. Creating a painless refund process helps to up the trust between the business and the customer. This refund process must be easy to understand and lenient so that the customer is more encouraged to purchase your product.
Customer service is an important aspect of your business that must be done well so people will make repeat purchases. Creating hassle-free, easy processes that customers will easily understand while giving them a personalized experience will help make your business stand out from your competition.
